Loose-leaf binder



Dec. 1944- c. T. .CADWALLADER 2,364,890

LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Oct. 14, 1943 I ,Inveniwr Patented Dec. 12, 1944LOOSE-LEAF-BINDER "Clyde T. Cadwallader. Kenmore,'N. Y.. assignor toDorothy Cadwallader, Kenmore, N. Y.

Application October 14, 1943, Serial No. 506,183 I 3 Claims, (o1.129 24)My invention relates t improvements in loose leaf binders in which thebinding mechanism consists of a plurality of rings which pass throughsmall holes arranged in a row along the binding margin of the covers andsheets.

The objects of my invention are to provide a loose leaf binder of whichthe rings can be constructed of wire and the supporting structure canbeconstructed of cardboard, and to provide a loose leaf binder which canbe used to bind the conventional three hole filler sheets and which canbe manufactured to sell in the lower price ranges.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary top view of a notebook in an opened position;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the binder with the covers and sheetsremoved;

Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a view corresponding to Figure 3 of one of the frame plates;I

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of one of the wire loops;

Figure 6 is a View of the alignment brace.

The rings of the binder are composed of two inwardly curved wire loops'|--l which engage each other when the loops are in a closed position bythe interaction of their crimped interlocking end surfaces as shown inFigure 3.

At their other ends loops 1-! are provided with short arms 8 formed bybending the ends of the prongs inwardly so that the arms 8 are paralleland contiguous to each other but point in opposite directions and'are atright angles to the cylinder enclosed by loops 1-! as shown in Fig re 5.

Arms 88 of each of loops 1-! are journaled in three adjacent frameplates 9-a, 9-b and 9-0, all of which are congruous. As shown in Figure4, each of these frame plates is provided with a slot l0 and two holesIl-II sufficiently large to accommodate both of arms 8-8. Arms 8-8 ofloop 1 are inserted into one of the holes H in frame plate 9-?) fromopposite sides thereof so as to project out of the hole in oppositedirections and permit the prongs of loop I to rest against the sides offrame plate 9-?) which is between them. Frame plates 9-a and 9-0 arepressed against frame plate 9-!) and loop 1 on either side thereof sothat arms 8-8 of loop I penetrate frame plates 9-11 and 9-0 at theircorresponding holes I l. The other loop 1 is similarly mounted betweenthe frame plates.

The assembly is inserted into one of the notches l2 in alignment bracel3, by sliding alignment brace 13 into slots ID of frame plates 9-a, 9band 9-0 Loops 1-4 are pulledapart and they move axially on arms 8-8journaled in holes lI-l l of frame plates 9-a, 9-1) and 9c,the frameplates serving also as lateral supports and guides. The covers and stackof filler sheets are hung on loops 1--! through each of their holes I4and the pairs of loops 1-! are snapped shut to form rings.

As will be apparent, the number of ring assemblies is not limited tothree but may be increased to any desired number. Also the use of flathooks of sheet material instead of wire loops is possible with onlyminor changes of structure and without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Iclaim:

1. In a ring binding construction for a pair of covers and a stack ofsheets, a plurality of pairs of wire loops curved inwardly to form ringsand crimped at their engaging ends to permit them to interlockdetachably, each loop provided at its other end with a pair of armsperpendicular to the general plane of the ring formed by the loop and onwhich arms it is journaled in three aligned congruous frame plates, eachplate having a slot, one of which plates is positioned between theprongs of the loops and the other two frame plates one on either sidethereof, each of the frame plates in frictional engagement with theadjacent prongs of the loops, the frame plates retained in alignment byan alignment brace provided with spaced notches into which the frameplates are adapted to fit in groups of three at their respective slots,and adapted to permit the insertion or removal of the covers orindividual sheets without adjusting or detaching the ring supportingstructure.

2. In a ring binding construction for a pair of covers and a stack ofsheets, a, plurality of groups of three congrous frame plates, eachplate provided with two holes and a slot, the frame plates retained inalignment by an alignment brace provided with spaced notches into whichthe frame plates are adapted t fit in groups of three at theirrespective slots, a plurality of pairs of inwarclly curved wire loops indetachable engagement with each other and provided with armsperpendicular to the general planes of the rings formed by the wireloops and on which arms they are journaledin the frame plates throughthe holes heretofore mentioned sothat the center frame plate ispositioned between the prongs of a pair of wire loops and the other twoframe plates are on either side thereof and in frictional engagementwith the adjacent prongs of the pair of wire loops.

3. Ina ring binding construction for a pair of covers and a stack ofsheets, an alignment brace provided with spaced notches in detachableengagement at each of its notches with a, series of groups of threecongrous frame plates at right angles thereto in slots with which theframe plates are provided, the frame plates each provided with twoholes, one adapted to receive both arms of one of a pair of inwardlycurved wire loops and the other hole adapted to receive both arms of theother wire loop, the loops erimped at the ends with which they engageeach other to permit them to be detachably interlocked, the three frameplates also adapted to guide and give lateral support to each wire loopas it moves axially on its arms, each wire loop bent at its free ends toform a pair of arms parallel and contiguous with each other, each ofwhich is pointed'in opposite directions and at right angles to thegeneral plane of the ring formed by the wire loop, the arms journaled inthe three frame plates so that the center frame plate is positionedbetween the prongs of the wire loops and the other two frame plates areon either side thereof and all frame plates are in frictional contactwith the adjacent prongs of the pair of wire loops.

CLYDE T. CADWALLADER.

